This invention relates generally to computing systems and, in particular, to remotely managed network computing systems. Still, more particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for dynamically configuring a keyboard of an administrative computer system for language and layout compatibility with another keyboard at a remote computer system being managed by the administrative system.
While early computers were “stand alone” and unable to communicate with other computers, most computers today are capable of communicating with other computers for a variety of purposes, including sharing data, e-mailing, downloading programs, coordinating operations, etc. Each computer typically connects to a network via a Network Interface Card (NIC) or an integrated Local Area Network (LAN) On Motherboard (LOM). The network couples multiple computers and peripheral devices, such as printers, secondary storage, etc. The network may be a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN).
A LAN is usually a small local network, wired or wireless, that is typically used by a single enterprise. LANs use network architectures such as an Ethernet, Token Ring, ARCnet or a wireless protocol such as 802.11a/b/g, and are used to connect computers and peripheral devices within a limited area, such as a single campus or building.
Computers are not limited to the confines of a LAN, but can also be connected to another computer or peripheral device via a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet, to provide a communications link over a larger area. Each computer can be directly connected to a WAN via a Network Interface Card (NIC) or LOM, or the computer can be indirectly connected to the WAN via the LAN. The WAN can be wired or wireless, similar to that described for the LAN.
One advantage of a network based computer system is that computer systems can be remotely controlled through the network, wherein an administrative computer system manages a remote computer system via a network connection. Such remote control would include keyboard and mouse control, as well as video control of the remote computer system. A problem arises, however, when the keyboard used at the administrative computer system is different (for example, different in language or key layout) from the keyboard at the remote computer system. Therefore, what is needed is a method and system for an administrative computer system to select a particular type of keyboard to emulate, such that there is compatibility between the administrative keyboard and the remote keyboard.